Spain faithful try to keep Easter traditions alive

The coronavirus pandemic cancelled various Holy Week processions across Spain, but faithful in Malaga tried to keep the religious Easter traditions alive by singing and shouting from their balconies.

During this time of the year, the Trinidad neighbourhood would normally be filled with tens of thousands of people taking part in Holy Week processions featuring majestic thrones carrying the religious statues.

Instead, people chanted from their windows onto empty streets to the sound of the procession songs.

Some members of the religious brotherhood even built miniatures of the statues to parade in their homes.

One of the streets in Malaga ironically called Christ of the Epidemic is home to numerous brotherhoods including the Virgin of the Rocio and the chapel of Jesus of the Rescue where a handful of faithful came to pray.

Meanwhile, markets in the city are struggling with the absence of customers.

Malaga's tourism office estimates that Holy Week normally attracts half a million visitors, this year there will be none.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and could lead to death.